Does antimatter have positive or negative mass?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of anti-matter and its potential negative mass-energy. It is mentioned that while anti-matter is expected to have positive mass, when explaining the evaporation of black holes, matter and anti-matter are created from the vacuum. However, it is clarified that a virtual positron is not the same as a real positron and Hawking radiation does not come from virtual particle pairs.
  • #1
MikeL#
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Black holes suggest anti-matter has negative matter but is this true?
I think anti-matter has positive mass - e.g. a positron and electron annihilate giving off 0.5MeV + 0.5MeV photons where these photons have a huge positive energy. If the positron had negative mass then there would be no 1.0MeV of photon energy created.
But when 'explaining' evaporating black holes (e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_radiation#Overview)- matter [e.g. electron] and corresponding anti-matter [positron] are created out of 'the vacuum', If the electron is ejected, then the positron is absorbed in the black hole which loses mass. In this case the positron mass is negative.
So does anti-matter have positive or negative mass-energy or both?
 
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  • #2
MikeL# said:
Black holes suggest anti-matter has negative matter
They do not.
MikeL# said:
I think anti-matter has positive mass
That is the expectation of basically everyone.
MikeL# said:
But when 'explaining' evaporating black holes (e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_radiation#Overview)- matter [e.g. electron] and corresponding anti-matter [positron] are created out of 'the vacuum'
That is a problematic pop-science description, not the actual physics.
If an electron escapes, there is no positron involved at all.
 
  • #3
A virtual positron is not the same thing as a positron. Hawking radiation comes from virtual particle pairs, of which only one of which becomes a real particle.
 
  • #4
newjerseyrunner said:
Hawking radiation comes from virtual particle pairs
It does not. If you check the actual calculations, there is no virtual particle pair involved.
 
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FAQ: Does antimatter have positive or negative mass?

1. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape. It is formed when a massive star dies and collapses under its own weight.

2. How are black holes detected?

Black holes cannot be detected directly because they do not emit any light. Instead, scientists look for their effects on nearby stars and gas. They can also detect the X-rays and radio waves emitted from the material falling into the black hole.

3. What is antimatter?

Antimatter is the opposite of normal matter, with particles that have the same mass but opposite charge. When matter and antimatter come into contact, they annihilate each other, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.

4. Can black holes and antimatter exist together?

Yes, black holes can have antimatter particles orbiting around them, just like normal matter particles. However, if a black hole and an anti-black hole were to collide, the resulting annihilation would release an immense amount of energy.

5. Are black holes made of antimatter?

There is no evidence to suggest that black holes are made of antimatter. In fact, it is believed that they are made of normal matter, just with an extremely high density and gravitational pull.

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